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Rise of the Zombie (2013)
Great story, great drama, awesome camera work, and Luke Kenny delivers. Zombie and indie film fans will not be disappointed.
'Rise of the Zombie', not to be confused with the 2012 film, 'Rise of the Zombies' starring Danny Trejo, is a film that zombie fans, as well as independent film lovers don't want to miss out on. I like it, maybe I love it.
Director Luke Kenny plays Neil Parker, a wildlife photographer who, after deciding to spend a few days in the wilderness to clear his head after a fight with his girlfriend, is bitten or stung while taking photos of insects, small animals, and breathtaking landscape. Over the next few days his world slowly spins out of control; a dark and violent journey into what will soon be the incident that gives birth to the apocalyptic spreading of the zombie virus as we know it.
Devaki Singh, writer and also co-director, tells a beautiful, terrifying, and believable story while Luke Kenny, co-director and lead actor sells his role brilliantly. 'Rise of the Zombie' is every bit as much a psychological thriller as it is the gory, body-parts-piling-up, flesh eating zombie horror.
'Rise of the Zombie' is not a blood and gore 'quick fix'. It's a film that doesn't replace quality for cheap thrills. It has a real story, real characters, real drama, and a real delivery that you have to wait for. But even with a slow start to the violent ripping of intestines and chewing-off of faces, that we have all come to expect and love from zombie movies, the wait is as much a part of the experience as the culminating horrific climax. It left me fully satisfied and wanting more.
Although India has been in the filmmaking business for just over a hundred years, 'Rise of the Zombie' is the country's first zombie film and it will easily land in my top 20 favorite zombie films list. Even without all the subtitles, it's more than worth the ride to see how the beginning of the zombie apocalypse began in the mind of Devaki Singh.
Highlights: The artistic way cinematographer, Murzy Pagdiwala uses the cameras and lighting to capture amazing landscapes, the small village traditions, as well as the violent motions during attacks not complement the story and add depth to Neil's emotional and mental decent, but it shares a piece of Hindu culture most have never experienced.
Why Not 10 Stars?: The film is not spoken in English and the subtitles freeze up on about six or seven sentences for the majority of the film. I felt that this caused me to miss some of the storyline that I needed to connect with other characters more deeply.
Don't forget: In the last few minutes the title 'Rise of the Zombie' appears on the screen. At the screening I first saw this film at, it was stopped there. After I watched it again I realized that it is not the end of the film and you may think the best part is in the three minutes following.
Her Aim Is True (2013)
Jini Dellaccio is the embodiment of the 'Independent' spirit. Director Karen Whitehead hit a grand slam with 'Her Aim is True'.
'Her Aim is True' is an artistically crafted voyage into Rock-n-Roll's past. It's a tantalizing taste of an all-but-forgotten time in America's history, told through the life of a real legend and pioneer.
Jini Dellaccio was a woman years before her time, her story, 'Her Aim Is True', directed by Karen Whitehead, brings that incredible story to the screen in a truly satisfying fashion. To be honest, I was surprised at how quickly I was drawn into this film. I found myself captured within the first five minutes, and it only got better from there.
With the sounds of so many iconic bands like; Neil Young, Ian Whitcomb, Mitch Ryder, The Who, The Wailers, The Sonics, Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts, The Daily Flash, The Bard's, The Bootmen, and Paul Revere & The Raiders; and the setting, being, the magical and beautiful Pacific Northwest, 'Her Aim Is True' in perfumed with nostalgia.
This is a story about American culture. It's a story about an important time in Rock-n-roll history. It's a story about an incredible woman- a stubbornly independent woman. It's a love story. It's a story about a revolutionary, an artist, an activist, and about a true dreamer. 'Her Aim Is True', is a film that is not just about Jini Dellaccio, but it's about all of us.
Filled with rich tastes of a very potent time in America's history, director Karen Whitehead captures and serves up so many beautiful moments and landmark times of change in our culture. Rock-n-roll is an essential element in the evolutionary process of American history and the history of the world. To forget those who helped mold and shape the foundations of our artistic and musical history would be a true tragedy. It's a beautiful and necessary legacy Karen Whitehead has reminded us of through the story of a true American queen, rock-n-roll photography pioneer, and independent soul.
Karen, the incredibly creative and talented director took this already amazing story and laid it all out in 90 minutes in such way that gives Dellaccio's story true justice. I'm just as impressed with Karen Whitehead's artistic structure of 'Her Aim Is True,' as I am with the story itself.
Whitehead, an independent spirit herself isn't new to filmmaking, and her work shines through in 'Her Aim Is True'. Karen, a filmmaker from London, UK., is also a journalist. She's a former director/producer at the BBC and also did the current affairs output for the Independent Television network in the UK. In the US, Karen has made several documentary-style videos for non-profit organizations and advocacy filming for Autism. She also produced a film on the history of the Berlin Wall for the Newseum, which is currently on exhibit in Washington DC. She's a recipient of a CINE Golden Eagle Award for the short film, Woodlawn Redux she directed in 2008.
In a time that we are seeing an awakening of independent documentaries, special issues films, and biopics, 'Her Aim Is True', is exactly what the independent spirit's about. This film has a largely universal appeal. I think that everyone should see it.
Through the eyes and words of the 93 year old artist, yesterday's rock is experienced with new life and freshness. Adding the impeccable storytelling skills of Karen Whitehead, 'Her Aim is True', has easily landed in my top 10 independent documentary films of all time.
Come Out and Play (2012)
A Horrific but Creative Re-Imagination in Artistic 70's Horror Fashion
Shot off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan on the small island of Holbox (which creepy enough means 'Black Hole' in Yucatec Maya) it was perfect for Makinov's film as the population isn't over 500 and it's mostly all kids. There's virtually no vehicles on the small island, ran by children, because vehicles are not allowed entrance at all. This calls for a horror film to be shot there, right?
Come Out and Play is a remake of the 1976 Spanish cult, "Who Can Kill a Child?" and Makinov answers that question in his film with a resounding "I can, and I can kill a bunch of them!"
The story follows an American couple, Francis (played by Ebon Moss- Bachrach) and his pregnant wife, Beth (Vinessa Shaw) who are on a vacation (to work on things in their marriage) at Mexico's famous street festival, Carnival.
Francis (Bachrach) rents a boat from a local fisherman to take his wife on an overnight excursion on the island. When they arrive they're greeted by kids playing on the dock. As the couple walk into the little town they quickly realize how quiet and void of any adults the town is. With the empty white sand streets of the village town and the bizarre 70's science fiction-zombie music playing throughout the whole film the director successfully creates an atmosphere of solitude and strangeness.
As the couple decided to head further into town to find the adults they come upon a little girl hitting an elder man with his cane. Not long after, Francis witnesses the old man being drug through the street into a yard where a horde of laughing children with rocks and knives wait. That's when the film begins the pick up the pace, culminating into a 'do anything to survive the night' gory horror.
Although 'Come Out and Play' is being compared to other 'crazy kids killing adults' films like 'Children of the Corn'(1984), 'The Brood'(1979) and 'Village of the Damned'(1995) (as it should be) the director takes a horrific story idea that has been done several times, and brings it back to life in a creatively artistic fashion.
The 35 year old actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Francis), who looks amazingly like country singer, Blake Shelton (judge on the, The Voice), is the real driving force behind the heart-investment viewers will give to this film. As the husband (Francis) who feels a responsibility for putting his pregnant wife in this horrible nightmare, and the urgency to do anything he can to save her, Bachrach plays his role strongly. Although Bachrach's not a name too many people know yet as he usually plays 'the person of interest' or 'the friend of a friend', some of his work includes: 'The Lake House' (2006) where he played Henry Wyler, Craig Young in the television show 'Rubicon', and Nick Salenger in 'Damages'. I have a feeling that after his performance in 'Come Out and Play', we'll see more of him.
For a director (Makinov) who had never worked with actors before, was responsible for directing, producing, editing, doing all the camera work, and on top of it never took his mask off (according to an interview with Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Makinov even spent some full days directing from inside a refrigerator and only ate food in stick form because it fit through the mouth-hole of his mask), I'd say "Well done".
Over all, I really enjoyed Makinov's re-imagination of the original 'Who Can Kill A Child?' It is really gory at times, and I found myself watching some scenes through the safety of my hand over my eyes. There are a few questions the story leaves unanswered like; what happened to the children in the first place?, why did the young couple choose to go deeper into the creepy adult-free town once they realized no one was running the stores or hotels?, and screw gas, why didn't they get back in their boat and head towards Mexico which would've been better than staying the night on an evil island running rampant with kids who want to kill you?
Out of a rating of 1 - 10 I give 'Come Out and Play'a strong 7.